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You'd probably be shocked if you walked into any reasonably sized health club and didn't see a line of treadmills. The treadmill is the best exercise machine you can use to burn calories, according to a 2001 study published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise." Of course, the exact number of calories you'll burn depends on several factors, including the intensity of your workout. For many exercisers, the best way to increase workout intensity -- and burn additional calories -- is by interval training.

Interval Training Burns Calories

If you typically run or walk on the treadmill at a fairly steady pace, interval training will let you burn more calories in the same amount of time. When you do intervals, you alternate higher and lower-intensity periods of exercise within the same workout. If you walk on the treadmill, for example, you can temporarily increase the treadmill's speed to incorporate short bursts of jogging into your session. If you typically jog, just add some brief sprints. By increasing the overall intensity of your workout, you burn extra calories. (ref 2)

Sample Interval Plans

Set up your interval program to suit your fitness level and your comfort with treadmill walking and running. Begin with your normal warm-up period, such as five minutes of walking at a moderate speed. A 20-minute workout can then include two five-minute walking periods and two five-minute jogging intervals. Or you can alternate one minute of running with two minutes of jogging. Or keep your speed steady but raise the treadmill's incline for a minute or two at a time. When you combine the possibilities of speed and incline adjustments, your options are almost unlimited.

Sprint Away Calories With High-Intensity Intervals

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, takes the idea one step further. If you perform HIIT on a treadmill, the intense intervals become sprints in which you run at 80 to 95 percent of your maximum effort. If you're very fit, you may even reach 100 percent effort during your sprints. In HIIT, the intense intervals are limited to the amount of time in which you can sustain your maximum or near-maximum effort, typically 30 seconds to one minute. Try to perform eight to 10 intense intervals in a 20- to 30-minute session and perform the workout once or twice per week, for a maximum of six weeks.

Mind Your Form

No matter how you train, maintain your form to enjoy the most efficient calorie-burning workout. Run or walk with an erect posture as you keep your gaze forward. Swing your arms -- even during the recovery periods between intense intervals -- to burn a few extra calories. Never hold the machine's handrails, unless you must do so for balance.

About the Author

M.L. Rose has worked as a print and online journalist for more than 20 years. He has contributed to a variety of national and local publications, specializing in sports writing. Rose holds a B.A. in communications.